Today is the first Sunday of Advent, the start of a season of anticipating the arrival of the Christ child. I’m sure your to do list is long. Sometimes it can seem overwhelming, all the tasks that must be done for us to arrive at that “perfect” holiday season. This busyness makes me even more grateful for the traditions of our church home. Sunday nights through the Advent season give us opportunities to be with our families, both immediate, and our extended church family and celebrate the season in a variety of ways.
One tradition that we observe is lighting of the Advent candles each week. Tonight the light was brought into the Center by a PreK friend of mine. As we practiced the walk, and I showed him the candle, he seemed fairly confident that he could indeed do a fine job, even though this was the very first time in his life that he had lit a candle. As a little insurance, I asked his dad to walk with him. What was initially a move to ensure that the candle was lit safely and without incident, turned into a meaningful moment. They walked up the aisle together, and as he began to light the candle, his dad gently helped him light this first light of the Advent season.
I watched this and thought of how fitting it was, that a father would lead his son in the lighting of this candle. As parents, we are called by God to lead our children to know him. In the busyness of this season, if we are not careful, those times that could be most meaningful to our children’s spiritual development will slip away. My prayer is that as parents, we will all take hold of what’s most important, and continue to lead our children to the light of Jesus, walking along beside them, and instructing them in His way.
I look forward to observing this Advent season with you and yours.
